Narrative:

Flying from sus to bhm on an IFR flight plan. Filed for 3000 ft and was flying at 3000 ft, under the clouds, when ATC required me to climb to 4000 ft for obstacle clearance. When I arrived at 4000 ft, I began seeing ice form on the wings, and after a few mins, it began accumulating fast. I asked ATC for a descent back to 3000 ft as soon as possible and then asked for the closest airport with an ILS. ATC advised I was between paducah, ky, and cape girardeau, mo. Since paducah was about 20 mi straight ahead, I opted for paducah. Was given a vector for paducah and was out of the clouds and the ice was no longer accumulating. While still in the clouds, I had exercised the boots and cleared the ice off the leading edges of the wings and tail, but I knew I still had some ice on the aircraft. When I was handed off to the paducah tower, I was told I was #2 to land. Since I knew there was some ice on the aircraft, I wanted to land with as little maneuvering as possible. I told the paducah tower that I could not accept any delays and the controller asked if I was declaring an emergency. Since I wanted to land with the least amount of maneuvering, I said yes. I was given priority over a king air and landed without incident. During my final approach, the controller asked if I needed any assistance and I said no.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BEECH BARON DECLARED AN EMER AFTER DIVERTING TO LAND DUE TO PICKING UP ACFT ICE DURING AN IFR XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: FLYING FROM SUS TO BHM ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. FILED FOR 3000 FT AND WAS FLYING AT 3000 FT, UNDER THE CLOUDS, WHEN ATC REQUIRED ME TO CLB TO 4000 FT FOR OBSTACLE CLRNC. WHEN I ARRIVED AT 4000 FT, I BEGAN SEEING ICE FORM ON THE WINGS, AND AFTER A FEW MINS, IT BEGAN ACCUMULATING FAST. I ASKED ATC FOR A DSCNT BACK TO 3000 FT ASAP AND THEN ASKED FOR THE CLOSEST ARPT WITH AN ILS. ATC ADVISED I WAS BTWN PADUCAH, KY, AND CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. SINCE PADUCAH WAS ABOUT 20 MI STRAIGHT AHEAD, I OPTED FOR PADUCAH. WAS GIVEN A VECTOR FOR PADUCAH AND WAS OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND THE ICE WAS NO LONGER ACCUMULATING. WHILE STILL IN THE CLOUDS, I HAD EXERCISED THE BOOTS AND CLRED THE ICE OFF THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS AND TAIL, BUT I KNEW I STILL HAD SOME ICE ON THE ACFT. WHEN I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE PADUCAH TWR, I WAS TOLD I WAS #2 TO LAND. SINCE I KNEW THERE WAS SOME ICE ON THE ACFT, I WANTED TO LAND WITH AS LITTLE MANEUVERING AS POSSIBLE. I TOLD THE PADUCAH TWR THAT I COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY DELAYS AND THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. SINCE I WANTED TO LAND WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MANEUVERING, I SAID YES. I WAS GIVEN PRIORITY OVER A KING AIR AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING MY FINAL APCH, THE CTLR ASKED IF I NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE AND I SAID NO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.